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first time thatandactually exchange words. What is interesting about it however is the way that
we realise Julia has obviously thought very carefully about this conversation and stage manages
it, deliberately falling so that Winston will rush to help her, which will give her the
opportunity to pass him a note in secret, as Winston discovers:
Not to let one's feelings appear in one's face was a habit that had acquired the status
of an instinct, and in any case they had been standing straight in front of a telescreen when
the thing happened. Nevertheless it had been very difficult not to betray a momentary surprise,
for in the two or three seconds while he was helping her up the girl had slipped something into
his hand. There was no question that she had done it intentionally.
What is so interesting about this scene is that it reveals a lot
about Winston's character. It is Julia, not Winston, who brings about their meeting and their
union, showing her greater resourcefulness and bravery. The reader gets the feeling that Winston
would only have continued to admire Julia from afar and never would have actually done something
to try and meet her. This makes the reader question whether Winston can be correctly termed the
hero of this novel, as in many ways he seems to be a rather passive character, waiting for
others to make the first move.
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